Method for rapidly detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke by using ion mobility spectrometer

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of detection, and particularly relates to a method for rapidly detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke by an ion GC-IMS (gas chromatography-ion multimedia subsystem) mobility spectrometer with a switching tool, which comprises a GC-IMS mobility spectrometer, an adaptive heating cigarette smoking set and the switching tool, one end of the switching tool is provided with a sample inlet, and the sample inlet and a smoke outlet of the heating cigarette smoking set are subjected to interference pressure sealing; and the other section is provided with a sample outlet which is matched with a sample inlet of the ion mobility spectrometer in sealing size. An inlet and an outlet of the switching tool are connected to form a hollow and sealed channel, the interior and the exterior of the switching tool can be deformed in a stepped and different-caliber mode, and an outlet of a heating cigarette smoking set and a sample inlet of a migration spectrometer are communicated in a variable-diameter mode. Smooth communication of flue gas to be detected is kept after connection through the tool. The tool is in interference sealing with a cigarette heating appliance through interference of a soft material, communication and sealing are kept, meanwhile, taking and placing are easy, and the tool has the advantages of being simple and rapid in butt joint and improving test stability and efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of detection technology, and in particular relates to a method for quickly detecting volatile components of heated cigarette smoke using an ion mobility spectrometer. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the improvement of public health awareness and the implementation of smoking bans in public places, the demand for low-harm tobacco products has continued to grow. As a new tobacco product, heated cigarettes (also known as low-temperature cigarettes) release nicotine and aroma components through low-temperature heating technology (usually below 350°C), avoiding the decomposition of harmful substances produced by the high-temperature combustion of traditional cigarettes (600-950°C), thereby significantly reducing health risks. Its core working principle is to promote the volatilization of tobacco components in the range of 250-350°C to form aerosols to meet consumer needs. In contrast, traditional cigarettes mainly rely on the combustion of cut tobacco leaves, while heat-not-burn tobacco products (HNB) reduce the release of harmful substances through precise temperature control technology, becoming a key direction of innovation and development in the tobacco industry.

[0003] Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a rapid separation and detection technology based on the differences in the migration behavior of gas-phase ions. Developed in the 1970s, it has demonstrated significant advantages. Compared with traditional mass spectrometry and chromatography, IMS not only boasts a simpler structure and higher sensitivity, but also boasts rapid analysis and highly reliable results. Currently, the technology has been widely used in fields such as chemical reagent testing, environmental pollutant monitoring, toxic gas early warning, water quality assessment, food safety testing, and medical diagnostics. Its core principle is that under atmospheric pressure, volatile or semi-volatile compounds are generated into ions in an ionization chamber. These ions then enter the drift region through a periodically opened ion gate. Under the influence of an electric field, the ions continuously collide with countercurrent neutral drift gas molecules. Due to differences in parameters such as mass, charge, collision cross section, and spatial configuration, the ions exhibit unique migration rates, ultimately separating in time sequence and arriving at the detector. By precisely measuring the migration time, qualitative identification of the target substance can be achieved. However, despite the enormous potential of IMS in the field of rapid, non-destructive testing, research on the analysis of aroma components in heated cigarettes remains largely unexplored. Existing methods for analyzing HCI smoke components typically involve inhaling the cigarettes through a smoking machine, capturing the smoke components through a Cambridge filter, and then extracting the extract through a solvent extraction filter. The extract then measures the main components of the HCI smoke. This method is time-consuming and struggles to capture small molecules that can pass through the filter. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the challenges of the existing technology, the present invention aims to provide a rapid, non-destructive method for analyzing the aroma fingerprint of heated cigarettes based on ion mobility spectrometry. This method eliminates the need for complex sample pretreatment and simply attaches an adapter to the puff end of the heated cigarette device, connecting it to the ion mobility spectrometer inlet. Puffing and sampling are then completed through an inlet valve, enabling fingerprint analysis of heated cigarette volatiles.

[0005] The method for rapid and non-destructive heated cigarette smoke fingerprint analysis based on ion mobility spectrometry comprises the following steps:

[0006] 1) Insert the heated cigarette into the smoking device;

[0007] 2) Put the smoke inlet end 3 of the adapter tool on the top of the smoking device;

[0008] 3) Turn on the smoking device to heating mode;

[0009] 4) When the temperature reaches the suction temperature, connect the flue gas outlet of the adapter to the ion mobility spectrometer inlet;

[0010] 5) The ion mobility spectrometer intake valve performs suction;

[0011] 6) The sample is drawn into the ionization zone of the ion migration tube by the negative pressure sampling of the vacuum pump gas; and is detected and analyzed under the ion mobility spectrometer.

[0012] The structure of the above-mentioned adapter tool is as follows: the adapter tool is a hollow structure, including a smoke inlet end, a connecting section and a smoke outlet end. The smoke inlet end, the connecting section and the smoke outlet end are connected by a sealing structure, and the cross-sectional area of the tubular inner channel can be equal or unequal; the adapter tool is made of soft and hard materials or both soft materials, and an interference seal is formed between the two materials.

[0013] The flue gas outlet of the adapter tool is connected to the sampling port of the ion mobility spectrometer and forms a closed pipeline.

[0014] The smoke inlet of the adapter tool is connected to the smoke outlet of the heated cigarette and is a closed pipeline.

[0015] The outer diameter of the flue gas outlet circular tube of the adapter tool is 7.5-8.4 mm.

[0016] The inner diameter of the smoke inlet of the adapter tool is smaller than the outer diameter of the smoke outlet of the heated cigarette, and the diameter difference is between 0.1 and 2.0 mm. This size is used to form an interference fit with different materials.

[0017] The smoke inlet of the adapter tool may be made of a soft, deformable elastic material or be equipped with an inner or outer sealing ring.

[0018] The tubular inner channel is not limited to a straight channel. While maintaining no obvious pressure drop, it allows the release direction of the heated cigarette smoke and the direction of the ion mobility spectrometer smoke inlet to maintain an angle of 0 to 90 degrees.

[0019] The inner diameter of the tubular inner channel may be a variable or non-circular channel.

[0020] The peripheral feature of the smoke outlet of the adapter tool is circular.

[0021] The peripheral features of the smoke inlet of the adapter tool can be circular or non-circular or other shapes.

[0022] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0023] This method utilizes GC-IMS, combining the efficient separation technology of gas chromatography with the rapid trace detection advantages of ion mobility spectrometry. It uses retention index and migration time for two-dimensional qualitative analysis and peak volume for quantitative analysis. This method requires no complex sample pretreatment and offers advantages such as simple operation, rapid detection (ms-level), high sensitivity, and excellent stability of flavor compounds. It holds great promise for the trace analysis and identification of flavor compounds. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of the transfer tool.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the adapter tool in use.

[0026] Figure 3 It is the result of qualitative analysis of volatile components in heated cigarette smoke.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a GC-IMS three-dimensional spectrum of the volatile components of heated cigarette smoke.

[0028] Figure 5 The Gallery Plot plug-in is used to draw the fingerprint of volatile components in heated cigarette samples.

[0029] Markings in the figure are: 1-smoke outlet end, 2-connecting section, 3-smoke inlet end, 4-connecting position I, 5-connecting position II, 6-smoke inlet, 7-smoke outlet end, 8-smoke outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Example 1 Adapter Tool

[0031] like Figure 1As shown, in this embodiment, the adapter tool is made of rubber and has a hollow structure to ensure that the smoke from the heated cigarette can pass smoothly and enter the ion mobility spectrometer. The adapter tool includes a smoke inlet end 3, a connecting section 2, and a smoke outlet end 1. The smoke inlet end 3, the connecting section 2, and the smoke outlet end 1 are connected by a sealing structure. The smoke inlet end 3, the connecting section 2, and the smoke outlet end 1 are integrally molded to ensure a sealed structure at the connection, or the smoke inlet end 3, the connecting section 2, and the smoke outlet end 1 are manufactured separately and connected by interference fit at connection points I4 and II5. The outer diameter of the smoke outlet 8 is 8.0 mm, the outer diameter of the heated cigarette smoke outlet is 12 mm, and the inner diameter of the adapter tool smoke inlet 6 is 10.0 mm, ensuring an interference fit between the adapter tool smoke inlet 6 and the heated cigarette smoke outlet.

[0032] Example 2: Rapid detection of heated cigarette smoke components using an adapter tool

[0033] This embodiment takes heated cigarettes as an example to introduce the method of the present invention for rapidly detecting smoke components of heated cigarettes. The steps are as follows:

[0034] The sample processing steps are as follows:

[0035] Take a heat-not-burn cigarette, place it in the compatible smoking device, press the heating switch, and when the smoking temperature reaches the smoking temperature, connect the smoking end of the smoking device to the ion mobility spectrometer inlet through the adapter tool, connect the smoke inlet end 3 of the adapter tool to the outlet end of the smoking device, insert the ion mobility spectrometer inlet into the smoke outlet end 1 of the adapter tool, open the ion mobility spectrometer inlet valve and smoke; use ion mobility spectrometer to detect. Figure 2 shown.

[0036] The ion mobility spectrometry injection conditions are as follows:

[0037] The suction flow rate of the inlet valve is 100 ml / min, and the gas injection volume is 1 ml.

[0038] GC-IMS measurement conditions are as follows:

[0039] Table 1 Gas phase-ion mobility spectrometry analysis conditions

[0040]

[0041] Table 2 Gas chromatography conditions:

[0042] Time EPC1 (drift gas flow) EPC2 (carrier gas flow) V (valve status) 00:00,000 150mL / min 1ml / min 00:15,000 150mL / min 1ml / min 1 00:17,000 150mL / min 1ml / min 0 01:00,000 150mL / min 1ml / min 10:00,000 150mL / min 30ml / min 20:00,000 150mL / min 100ml / min

[0043] Result analysis:

[0044] A total of 81 signal peaks were detected in the gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry of heated cigarette smoke. By comparing the gas phase retention time and ion migration time, 47 volatile compounds were identified in the fingerprint of heated cigarette smoke (monomers and dimers of the components were counted only once), including 11 alcohols, 8 aldehydes, 6 esters, 9 ketones, 4 alkenes, 5 heterocyclic compounds, and 3 aromatic hydrocarbon compounds, as shown in Table 3 below:

[0045] Table 3

[0046]

[0047]

[0048] Figure 3 The results of qualitative analysis of volatile components in heated cigarette smoke are shown. In this graph, the vertical axis corresponds to the gas chromatography retention time, and the horizontal axis represents the ion migration time, with the overall background being blue. A red vertical marker line can be seen at the 1.0 position on the horizontal axis, representing the normalized reaction ion peak. Each data point distributed on both sides of the baseline represents a volatile component, and its color gradient reflects the concentration level of the substance: the white area indicates a low-concentration compound, the red area represents a high-concentration component, and as the color tone deepens (from light red to dark red), the concentration of the substance represents a gradient upward trend.

[0049] Figure 4 This is a GC-IMS three-dimensional spectrum of volatile components in heated cigarette smoke. As can be seen from the figure, the different peak intensities indicate that the volatile organic compound content varies among the samples. Larger peak volumes indicate higher concentrations of that component.

[0050] Figure 5 The Gallery Plot plug-in is used to draw a fingerprint of volatile components in heated cigarette samples. Each row in the figure represents all signal peaks selected from a sample, and each signal point represents a volatile component. The depth of the point color and the size of the point range represent the relative content of the volatile component. The darker the color and the larger the range, the higher the content.

Claims

1. A method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), characterized by: An ion mobility spectrometer is provided with an inlet, and a transfer tool is provided between the inlet of the ion mobility spectrometer and the smoking device for heating cigarette smoke. The transfer tool is a hollow structure, comprising a smoke inlet end (3), a connecting section (2) and a smoke outlet end (1). The smoke inlet end (3), the connecting section (2) and the smoke outlet end (1) are connected by a sealing structure, and the cross-sectional areas of the tubular inner passages (7) can be equal or unequal; the transfer tool is made of soft and hard materials or both soft materials, and an interference seal is formed between the two materials.

2. The method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry GC-IMS according to claim 1, characterized in that: The smoke outlet (8) of the adapter tool is connected to the sampling port of the ion mobility spectrometer and is a closed pipeline.

3. The method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry GC-IMS according to claim 1, characterized in that: The smoke inlet (6) of the adapter tool is connected to the smoke outlet of the heated cigarette and is a closed pipeline.

4. The method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry GC-IMS according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer diameter of the circular tube of the smoke outlet (8) of the adapter tool is 7.5-8.4 mm.

5. The method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry GC-IMS according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner diameter of the smoke inlet (6) of the adapter tool is smaller than the outer diameter of the smoke outlet of the heated cigarette, and the diameter difference is between 0.1 and 2.0 mm. This size is adapted to form an interference fit with different materials.

6. The method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry GC-IMS according to claim 5, characterized in that: The material of the smoke inlet (6) of the adapter tool can be a soft, deformable elastic material or equipped with an inner or outer sealing ring.

7. The method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry GC-IMS according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tubular inner channel (7) is not limited to a straight channel. While maintaining no significant pressure drop, it allows the direction of smoke release from the heated cigarette and the direction of the smoke inlet of the ion mobility spectrometer to maintain an angle of 0 to 90 degrees.

8. The method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry GC-IMS according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner diameter of the tubular inner channel (7) can be a variable or non-circular channel.

9. The method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry GC-IMS according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer periphery of the smoke outlet (8) of the adapter tool is circular.

10. The method for detecting volatile components in heated cigarette smoke using ion mobility spectrometry GC-IMS according to claim 1, characterized in that: The peripheral features of the smoke inlet (6) of the adapter tool can be circular or non-circular or other shapes.

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